Upset by live TV report

December 18, 1997
Web posted at: 2:30 p.m. EST (1930 GMT)

PLANO, Texas (CNN) -- A gunman who had already freed dozens of his hostages at a day-care center released another one, reportedly his goddaughter, on Thursday morning but was believed to be still holding two of his own children captive.

Police communicating with him by telephone say he hung up on
them but later began talking with them again.

In all, about 60 people, mostly children, have been released since the hostage situation began on Wednesday afternoon. No adults remain inside, officials say.

The latest child to be released is a 3-year-old girl. She's the goddaughter of the gunman, a teacher at the facility who had been held hostage told CNN.

Remaining inside are the suspect, identified by relatives and
a neighbor as 33-year-old James Monroe Lipscomb Jr., and two
children. One is said to be his child, the other his
stepchild.

Early in the standoff, police said their dealings with
Lipscomb over the telephone were going well. Plano Police
Chief Bruce Glasscock described the man, armed with a handgun, as "calm."

Late Thursday morning, however, Lipscomb cut off
communications. He had become "upset" by live television
pictures from the scene, according to Plano police officer
Carl Duke.
( 230K/17 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

Police asked television news organizations not to show live
scenes from the standoff.

Although Lipscomb later resumed the telephone conversations,
Glasscock said the talks were not as "amicable" as before.
But the police chief said he does not believe the man intends
to harm the remaining two children he holds.

The police chief told CNN there was no deadline for resolving the hostage situation, which started about 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Before the latest hostage release, Glasscock had told CNN
"only a handful" of hostages remain but he wouldn't reveal
the exact number. "We know (how many people are still being
held) but we're not going to discuss that because that is a
matter of our negotiations and we don't want to do anything
that's going to hamper or jeopardize our negotiations," he
said.
.( 179/13 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

Most of the hostages were released in the first four hours of the standoff. Some children were shaken up, but none was injured.

Police released only scattered details except to say the suspect had tried to rob someone outside a nearby bank shortly before entering the day-care center.

They refused to confirm the suspect's identity or reports that he is married to a day-care employee. Witnesses said the couple has marital problems.